Automatic gun



A. e. HADCOCK AND G. FORSTER.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

ICATION FILED JUNE 22 I920 W N m m AV mm A..\ A

A. G. HADCOCK AND G. FORSTER.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22.1920.

1,360,523, Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

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A. G. HADCOCQK AND G. FORSTER.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1920.

Q 2. 9 1T n 0 34 is T Wu Nw 05 av m m a A. G. HADCOCK AND G. FORSTER.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1920.

' Patented NOV. 30, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEETM gum 3 3 W A. G. HADCOCK AND G. FORSTER.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1920.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- UNITED 5mm PATENT car es.

ALBERT G. HADCOCK.AND GEORGE FORSTER, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND,

ASSIGNORS TO SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH AND COMPANY, LIMITED, OF

N EWCASTLE-UPON-TYN E, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

Application filed June 22,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT GEORGE HAD- oocn, K. B. E, F. R. S., and GEORGE FoR- STER, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Elswick Works, Newcastleupon-Tyne, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Guns, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the type of automatic gun in which a number of cartridges carried by a rotatable holder situated within a drum are conveyed one by one by a carrier into line with the axis of the gun and automatically pushed into the chamber of the gun by a rammer.

Our invention also relates to rammer mechanism used in conjunction with a ivoted cartridge carrier of the type in w ich the recoil of the gun pushes back the rammer which is retained in its cocked position by a spring catch and is tripped at the proper time as the gun runs out by an incline or lug on the gun.

The main object of our invention is to provide improved mechanism which will function properly at all angles of elevation or depression despite considerable variations in the length of the recoil.

According to our invention the cartridges are taken one by one froma rotatable cartrid e holder and conveyed to the chamber of tile gun by a carrier pivoted to the mounting, the arrangement being such that the closing of the breech turns the carrier into position to receive a fresh cartridge and causes a partial rotation of the holder.

In order to transfer the cartridge from the carrier into the breech a spring actuated rammer is mounted on the carrier, the rammer spring being compressed by the rearward movement of the gun; when the gun has recoiled a certain distance the rammer is held in the cocked position and moved clear of the gun behind a cartridge in the carrier and is automatically released when the carrier has brought the cartridge in line with the gun.

In one way of carrying out our invention we secure to an arm on the mounting a cylindrical drum within which the cartridges are made to revolve by means of a feeding Wheel at one end thereof. This wheel is provided with projecting fingers in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

1920. Serial No. 390,958.-

number equal to the number of cartridges the drum can hold, and the cartridges remaining in the drum are revolved around the axis of the drum each time the breech is closed.

F or conveying the cartridges in success1on from the drum to a position in line with the bore, we provide a hinged cartridgecarrier. When the gun is in the firing position the cartridge carrier is clear of the recoil of the gun and rests either against the side of the breech block or against a projection formed on the latter. \Vhen the gun is in recoil the carrier bears against the side of the gun until the gun is nearly run out again. The breech having been opened either during the recoil or the run out and the gun having run clear of the carrier as it nears home on the run out into the movement, the carrier is swun loading position by a spring. 11 the carrier we place a rammer spring either immediately behind the leading cartridge or by its side. When the spring is placed alongside it is contained in a hollow plunger. and to one side of this plunger is pivoted a rammer lever which is automatically held in the cocked position toward the end of the recoil and is automatically tripped to ram the cartridge into the chamber at the end of the run out. As the gun is recoiling the rammer lever is pushed back by the gun until it reaches the rear of the cartridge in the carrier, when it is simultaneously moved behind the cartridge and freed from contact with the gun. The rammer is held in the cooked position by a lever pivoted on the carrier and this lever is so arranged that as soon as the cartridge is brought into loading position the lever is released by coming into contact with a projection on the stationary arm to which the carrier is attached. The cartridge is then thrown forward into the chamber by the action of the rammer spring, the flange of the cartridge strikes the extractors which are holding the breech block open and so frees the breech block which closes by the action of a spring. The block in closing pushes the carrier back into position for receiving another cartridge. As the carrier returns to the feed drum a flexible lever pivoted on the carrier catches a finger on the feeding wheel and revolves the cartridge holder inside the drum, the required amount to bring the -ures l and 1 are sectional elevations and complementary Figs. 2 and 2 sectional plans of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, the breech mechanism and cartridge carrier being in the loading position. Fig. 4 is a plan view with the breech mechanism and cartridge carrier in, the loading position, and Fig. 5 is an end elevation of Fig. 4. Figs. 3 and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

1 is the gun which slides in the'cradle 2 during recoil. The cradle 2 is pivoted on trunnions 3 to the mounting. The gun 1 is run out after recoil by a sprin contained in'the cylinder 4. 5 is a sli ing breech block which (in the example shown) opens during the run out of the gun. 6 is a cylin drical drum for holding five cartridges, one end of the drum being mounted on a support 7 on the cradle 2, and the other end on an arm 8 carried by a bar 9 fixed to the cradle-2. The drum 6 is held in position by pins 10 so that it can be readily detached or remounted. In the drum 6 is an opening sufficiently large to admit a cartridge, and 'covered by a lid 11. Within the drum 6 is a cartridge holder 12 having teeth or arms to carry in the example shown five cartridges. The cartridge holder 12 is provided with a feed wheel 13 having fingers equal in number to the number of cartridges in the drum 6, and is rotated a sufficient amount to bring a cartridge into position to charge a carrier 14 each time the breech closes.

The carrier 14 which conveys the cartridges in succession from the drum 6 to a position in line with the bore, is hinged on the bar 9 and so situated that it clears the gun 1 during recoil as shown in Fig. 3. The carrier 14 is held clear of the gun 1 by a projection 15 on the breech block 5 against the action of the spring 16. When the gun is in recoil the carrier 14 bears against the side of the gun 1 until the gun is nearly run out again. During the run out the breech is opened in any usual manner and when the gun nears home on the run out movement it clears the carrier 14 which is swung into the loading position by the spring 16. On

, the carrier 14 is a cylinder 17 containing a hollow plunger 18 to one side of which is pivoted a rammer lever 19 having an extension 20 situated immediately behind the breech block 5 so that when the gun recoils 'awayfrom the breechblock, so that the gun may recoil any farther distance without affecting the rammer 19.

When the carrier 14 moves into the loading position the lever 22 is moved to release the plunger 18 by a projection 28 on the bar 9, which comes into contact with the lower end of the lever 22. The cartridge is then thrown forward into the chamber of the gun. by the action of the spring 2 Asthe cartridge goes home in the chamber,.the breech block 5 is released and closes, the projection 15 011 the breech 5 pushing the carrier 14 back into position for receiving another cartridge.

As the carrier 14 moves toward the drum 6 a pawl 29 pivoted on the carrier 14 engages with a finger on the Wheel 13 and revolves the holder 12 inside the drum 6 the required amount to bring the next cartridge into the carrier 14. The cartridge in its movement into'the carrier 14 bears against the rammer 19 and returns the extension 20 into position behind the breech block 5 so as to be engaged by the projection 15 thereon, when the gun recoils.

The carrier 14 is provided with 'i circular projection 30 for preventing the holder 12 from turning when the carrier 14 is in the loading position and in part of the movement to and from the loading position.

\Vhat we claim is 1. The combination of a gun mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting, a rammer and a rammer spring'mounted on the carrier and adapted to be compressed by the rearward movement of the gun, means whereby when the gun has traveled part of its recoil the rammer is held in the cooked position and moved to allow of further recoil clear of the gun behind a cartridge in the carrier and means whereby the rammer is automatically released when the carrier has brought a cartridge in line with the gun.

2. The combination of a gun mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting, a plungermounted on the carrier a spring for actuating said plunger, a rammer lever carried by said plunger and adapted to be moved rearwardly by the recoil of the gun, a cam face on said carrier adapted to move the rammer clear of the gun and behind a cartridge in the carrier when the gun has traveled part of its recoil, means adapted to cook the rammer and means whereby the rammer is automatically released when the carrier has brought a cartridge in line with the gun. p 3. The combination of a gun mounting, a

cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting, a plunger mounted on the carrier, a spring for actuating' 'said plunger, a rammer lever carried. by said plunger and adapted to be rammer when the carrier has brought a cartridge in line with the gun.

4. The combination of a gun mounting,-

a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting,

a plunger mounted on the carrier, a spring for actuating said plunger, a rammer, lever carried by said plunger and adapted to be moved rearwardly by the recoil of the gun,

cartridge in. the carrier when the gun has traveled part of its recoil, a lever pivoted to the mounting and adapted to hold the plun ger in the cocked position, and a fixed pro jection adapted to tilt the lever and release said rammer when the carrier has brought a cartridge in line with the gun.

5. The combination of a gun mounting, a rotatable cartridge holder carried by the mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting and adapted to convey cartrldges one-by one from the holder to a position adjacent the chamber of the gun, and means whereby the closing of the breech turns the carrier into position to receive a fresh cartridge and causes a partial rotation of the holder. 6. The combination of a gun mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting, a rammer and a rammer spring mounted on the carrier and adapted to be compressed by the rearward movement of the gun, means whereby when the gun has traveled a part of its recoil the rammer is held in the cocked position and moved clear of the gun behind a cartridge in the carrier, means whereby the rammer is automatically released when the carrier has brought a cartridge in line with'the gun, a rotatable cartridge holder carried by the mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting and adapted to convey cartridges one by one from the holder to a position adjacent the chamber of the gun, and means whereby the' closing of the breech turns the carrier into position to re ceive a fresh cartridge and causes a partial rotation of the holder.

cartridge carrier ad-apte 7.- The combinationiof agun mounting, a rotatable cartridge holder' carried by, the mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted-to the mounting and adapted to convey cartridges. one by one from the holder to a position adj aoent the chamber of the gun, means where- "by the closing of the breech turns the carrier into position to receive. a fresh cartridge and causes a partial rotation of the holder,

and a projection on the carrier adapted to prevent the cartridge holder from rotating when the'carrier is in the loading position the loading position.

8. The combination of a gun mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting, a rammer and a rammer spring mounted on the carrier and adapted to be compressed by the rearward movement of the gun, means whereby when the gun has traveled part of its recoil the rammer is held in the cocked position and moved clear of the gun behind a cartridge in the carrier, means whereby the rammer is automatically released'when the carrier has brought a cartridge in line 'with the'gun, a rotatable cartridge holder a cam face on said carrier adapted to move I the rammer clear of the gun and behind a carried by the mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted-to the mounting and adapted to conmounting and adapted to convey cartridges,

one by'onefrom the holder to a position adjacent the chamber of the un, a pawl on the to engage with fingers on the holder, means whereby the closing of the breech turns the carrier into position to receive a fresh cartridge and causes a partial rotation of the holder, and a projection on the carrier adapted to prevent the holder from turning when the carrier is in the loading position and in part of the movement to and from the loading position.

10. The combination of a gun mounting, a rotatable cartridge holder carried by the mounting, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting and adapted to convey cartridges one by one from the holder to a position adjacent the chamber of-the gun, a pawl on the cartridge carrier adapted to engage with fingers on the holder, means whereby the closing of the breech turns the carrierinto position to receive a fresh cartridge and causes a partial rotation of the holder, a spring acand during part of its movement to and from catch for retaining the plunger in its cocked position, and means for releasing the plun ger.

jacent the chamber of the gun, a pawl on the cartridge carrier'adapted to engage with fingers on the holder, .means whereby the closmg of the breech turns the carrier into posi-' tion to receive afresh cartridge and causes ing position end in part of the movement to and from the loading position, a cartridge carrier pivoted to the mounting, a rammer and a rammer spring mounted on the carrier and adapted to be compressed by the rearward movement of the gun, means whereby when the gun has traveled a part of its re coil the rammer is held in the cocked sition and moved clear .of the gun be ind a,

cartridge in the carrier and means whereby A. G. HADCOCK,

GEORGE FOltSTER.

.- the rammer is automatically released when v the carrier has brought a cartridge in line v with the gun. i a partial rotation-of the holder, a projection v on the carrier adapted to prevent the holder r from turning when the carrier is in the load- 7 

